Today's Times
- Young immigrants living in the country without legal papers are a rising force with political momentum, and they are working on a strategy to keep the heat on the White House and Congress during the coming immigration fight, Julia Preston reports.
- The House passed a bill on Friday to ease visa restrictions for a limited number of foreign workers, previewing the immigration fight that leaders in both parties believe will be one of the biggest issues facing the new Congress, Jeremy W. Peters reports.
- President Obama learned that advancing his policies using sit-down negotiations with the opposition does not work without turning up the public heat on lawmakers, Peter Baker and Jonathan Weisman report. So just weeks after his re-election, he is hoping to promote his plan to raise taxes on the wealthy and avert a year-end fiscal crisis by recreating the campaign magic.
- The Obama administration said Frid ay that it would charge insurance companies for the privilege of selling health insurance to millions of Americans in new online markets, illustrating the rapidly growing role of the federal government in the nation's health care system, Robert Pear reports.
- The Senate voted to prohibit the government from imprisoning American citizens and green-card holders apprehended in the United States in indefinite detention without trail, but rights groups are claiming that that it leaves the door open for other types of people inside the United States to be subjected to military detention, Charlie Savage writes.
 Weekly Address
- President Obama talked about the impact the fiscal cliff could have on businesses and families from a factory in Pennsylvania in this week's address, saying that Congress can either do nothing and let taxes go up, or pass a law that would prevent a tax hike on the first $250,000 of everybody's income. “Congress can do that right now,†he said. “They can give families like yours a sense of security going into the new year. They can give companies like this one some certainty about what to expect down the road. And with the issue behind us, we'll have more time to work out a plan to bring down our deficits in a balanced way.â€
 Around the Web
- There was another lottery drawing this week, but it didn't involve power balls and millions of dollars, Politico reports. It was the Congressional office lottery.
 Happenings in Washington
- The 13th annual Holiday Parade of Lights, a procession of illuminated boats on the Potomac River, will take place in Alexandria, Va., on Saturday. The best-decorated boats will win prizes.
- On Sunday, President Obama and the first lady, Michelle Obama, will host a reception for the Kennedy Center honorees in the East Room of the White House before attending the Kennedy Center Honors. Honorees inclu de the actor Dustin Hoffman, the comedian David Letterman, the blues artist Buddy Guy, the rock group Led Zeppelin and the ballerina Natalia Makarova.
